Super Mac 'n Cheese

Founding father/inventor/foodie Thomas Jefferson invented Macaroni & Cheese. Well, he did in the same sense that Vice President Al Gore invented the internet. Rumor has it that Jefferson returned form a trip to Paris with a macaroni mold. His cousin, Mary Randolph (AKA "The Virginia Housewife"), first published the recipe he served in the White House in 1824. While popular in England since the Victorian era, the casserole wasn't a staple of American comfort food until Kraft Foods popularized it as a dried boxed food in war-rationed 1937.

We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner...
Barenaked Ladies, If I had $1,000,000

The food has evolved to various forms far beyond what Jefferson could have ever imagined. Besides instant and microwavable incarnations, you can find fried Mac 'n Cheese Bites, and even Mac 'n Cheese colored Crayola Crayons. A sheer mention of the food in the song "If I had $1,000,000" prompts fans of the band Barenaked Ladies to lob boxes upon boxes of Kraft Dinner on stage.

Today I attempted to doctor up a box of Kraft Dinner Macaroni and Cheese. I was pleasantly surprised. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner (Family Size)
1 Stick Butter or Margarine
1/2 Cup of Whole Milk
4 Pinches of Iodized Sea Salt
A Splash of Olive Oil
2 Cups of Kraft Cheese Mexican Four Cheese Finely Shredded
1 package Kraft Cheese American Singles - 24 ct
1/2 cup Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Prepare box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner per instructions, however add olive oil and sea salt to water once boiling.
3. Stir in 2 cups of Kraft Finely Grated Mexican Shredded Cheese blend, and 1/4 cup of Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
4. Pour into medium sized casserole dish.
5. Cover top of macaroni with Kraft Singles and then remaining Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake until Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese turns golden brown.

Many creamy variations of Mac 'n Cheese involve using flour to make a creme sauce similar to alfredo. For unique flavors, some chefs try using various types of strong cheeses and more daring individuals can even add extra ingredients, like ground beef, ketchup, jalapeños, sliced hot dogs, Spam, Tabasco sauce, ham, bacon, tuna, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Have fun experimenting yourself!